Black King
by At the End of Dreaming
Summary: Naoya Itsuki is not what he seems.He is keeping secrets.He is in the middle of a dangerous tournament known only as "Chess".But when Kaname is dragged into it, the lines of loyalty, friendship, and love start to blear.Naoya Itsuki is a Mind Breaker. Yaoi
1. Chapter 1

Summury: Naoya Itsuki is not what he appears. His is a powerful pyschic. He is also involved in the frightening tournament known only as 'Chess'. His only guardiens are three other boys Mana and her friends don't know about. In fact, they don't know anything at all. But when a new group called "Grafters" attacks, secrets can no longer be contained. The lines of loyalty, friendship, and love start to blear. Naoya's deadly secret is revealed. He is a Mind Breaker.

Mana will be shown as basically useless in this story. I don't hate her, I actually really like her. But for the purpose of this story she is going to be absolutely useless.

**Disclaimer: Juvenile Orion belongs to ****Sakurako Gokurakuin. The tournament and how it works belongs to Clamp. I own nothing in this story expect the idea of Grafters and the OCs. Please do not sue.**

**Black King**

Chapter 1

An air of anxiety filled the arena. Chairs hung suspended over the playing field, held aloft by chains reaching upwards into darkness. A slim figure sat serenely in one of the half-sphere chains, clothed nearly completely in black, head bowed and eyes closed. Short reddish-brown hair fell in front of his face, consuming it in shadows. Three people stood below the figure, calmly staring down their opponents, ignoring the chains wrapped around them, even as the other players shifted restlessly.

Farthest on the left, a young man stood. He held an ageless beauty; soft, flaxen hair fell around his face like a golden halo and cerulean blue eyes gleamed with mirth and shadows. A careless, almost mindless smile rested on his lips. He was dressed completely in black save for three white belts whose only purpose was to draw one's eyes to the flat, pale stomach his shirt revealed. A glaive was thrown haphazardly over his shoulders, his long, thin fingers holding it there loosely. He exhibited a careful mix of fatal carelessness and war-like sharpness.

On the opposite end another young man stood, just as ageless as the first but in total opposition appearance wise. Short hair hung in thick black spikes and stormy grey eyes stared stoically at his opponents from his tan, serious face. He too was dressed completely in black, expect he went without the white belts and his shirt reveal well-toned muscles instead of his stomach. A long sword was clenched tightly in his grip, hovering over the ground by his side. He was totally serious, almost glaring at the opposing team.

Between them, a much younger, teenage boy stood. His brown hair was cut practically and his brown eyes were steely, shining with determination. His face was still boyish but gave hints to the strong, handsome man he was becoming. His outfit was a strange mix of the blonde's elegance and the dark man's casualness, creating a dark, sophisticated look. Two longer-than-normal trench knives were held in his hands by his sides. He excluded calmness and determination.

Around each of their necks sat black collars, each linked to the chains holding them still.

_"Ready!"_

The black figure stirred as the voice called out, his sharp amber eyes sliding open. He raised his head, sweeping his eyes over the "pieces" only momentarily before locking his eyes on the figure in the chair opposite him, one dressed completely in white.

_"Go!"_

The chains snapped from the collars and disappeared as the two teams charged each other, weapons clashing together harshly, mercilessly, and with fatal intent. The black figure sat unmoving in the chair, not acknowledging the fight going on beneath him.

Not even when his team started to loose did he waver, staring calmly and relentlessly at the white leader, who threw a smug look towards him at the changing tides. He merely sat there, the message he didn't say but thought strongly clear in his steadfast gaze, the determined lines of his face, and his straight but relaxed posture. _'We will win.'_

The course of the battle changed again as the black fighters drew strength from their master's will and fought even harder. The white master faltered, allowing the black team to cut down their opponents with ease.

_"Black Side Wins!"_

The black team relaxed, ignoring the white players crumbed and groaning at their feet. The chair containing their master lowered to the ground, allowing him to step off. He moved with a tired grace, wariness replacing the determination in his eyes.

"Are you okay, master?" the blonde asked in a smooth, cultured voice. He stepped forward and gently grabbed the boy under his arm to support him.

'Master' smiled warmly yet weakly. "I'm alright Lapuda. Just tired. Nothing a night's rest won't cure." He whispered softly.

Lapuda watched him for a moment before he nodded, a mindless smile gifting his lips again. "That's good." He said. "Shall we go home?"

The boy nodded. The group moved to step off the arena when three more people appeared. The players shifted, moving to surround their master protectively. The man in the front held up his hands in a calming gesture. "Now, now. No need to get defensive. I'm a reprehensive for the committee running this tournament. We wanted to congratulate you on your impressive winning streak."

'Master' stepped forward, Lapuda shifting his grip to better support him. "If that's true, "He said. "Then, we are both grateful and humbled by your presence. What may we do for you?"

The representative nodded, smiling at the black master's politeness. "We are here to personally invite you and your team to the semi-finals of the tournament. All previous restrictions will be removed from now on. The semi-finals will begin in three weeks. We wish we the best of luck."

The entire team nodded and 'Master' bowed respectively. Just as they were about to leave again, the man called out. "Your names, if I may?"

The players gazed at their master, waiting for his order. 'Master' stared hard at the representative, weighing his options, before nodding. Lapuda immediately spoke up. "Lapuda. I'm a Grafter."

The representative arched an eyebrow. "One of the mysterious alchemists? Impressive. Your people are still fairly young, aren't they?"

Lapuda nodded, "We haven't even joined the war yet." He informed with a grin.

Lapuda's opposite interrupted to introduce himself. "I'm Howl, a darklore." He said stoically. Beside him the last, younger fighter bowed in greeting. "I am Li, an Arayashiki." His tone was coldly polite.

The representative nodded in acknowledgement and looked at the master. "And you, Black King?"

The young boy smiled mysteriously and turned away slightly, causing shadows to drift around him. His amber eyes glinted. "Mind-breaker." He informed as he and his team walked away.

"Itsuki, Naoya."


	2. Chapter 2

Summury: Naoya Itsuki is not what he appears. His is a powerful pyschic. He is also involved in the frightening tournament known only as 'Chess'. His only guardiens are three other boys Mana and her friends don't know about. In fact, they don't know anything at all. But when Kaname is pulled into the tournament secrets can no longer be contained. The lines of loyalty, friendship, and love start to blear. Naoya's deadly secret is revealed. He is a Mind Breaker. Will contain yaoi.

**Disclaimer: Juvenile Orion belongs to ****Sakurako Gokurakuin. The tournament and how it works belongs to Clamp. I own nothing in this story expect the idea of Grafters and the OCs. Please do not sue.**

**Black King**

Chapter 1

Kaname stood on top of the roof at his school as they gathered for a meeting. Or at least that's what they were calling it now days; they did little more than greet each other and leave. He watched as Shiba and Mana talked. Shiba was stuttering and blushing but Mana remained oblivious. He rolled his eyes and looked around. Where was Itsuki when he needed him? "Where's Itsuki?"

Everyone stopped and looked around. A voice suddenly called out, "Sorry, sorry! Coming!"

Kaname turned, watching as Itsuki burst through the door to the roof, a grin on his face. The boy stopped before him, placing his hands on his knees as he panted. "Sorry I'm late." He said.

Shiba glared at him as Haruna huffed in irritation. "Gees, oni-chan, where have you been?" Her eyebrow ticked, "And why are you wearing _more_ black?"

Kaname blinked, looking at Itsuki. The boy was wearing a long-sleeve black shirt and baggy black pants with black sneakers. Itsuki caught his eye and grinned teasingly. Kaname rolled his eyes.

Haruna ran an irritated hand through her hair. "I swear that's all you wear now days. Where were you? Well?"

Itsuki shrugged. "I've been around." He replied. He sat down, reclining against the wall. "What were we doing?"

Later, after everyone had left, Haruna accompanying Mana, Kaname looked around noticed Itsuki was still sitting against the wall, his eyes closed. He walked forward, sitting down beside his friend. After a few seconds he glanced over at him and felt his breath catch. Itsuki was asleep, his face relaxed in slumber. He looked peaceful, innocent. The dark clothes he wore highlighted his pale skin and the slimness of his figure. His reddish-brown hair drifted in the breeze. He was beautiful.

Kaname blushed deeply at that thought, jerking his gaze away immediately. What the hell was that? This was **Itsuki**, his best friend. The one he'd only ever thought of as a friend. And it was going to stay that way.

Beside him Itsuki groaned, waking slowly. Kaname looked over at him as he stretched and refused to think the boy looked cute. Itsuki looked over at him, smiling softly. "Hey."

Kaname nodded. "Hey." He repeated. He watched as Itsuki ran a hand through his hair and a dark glint caught his eye. He reached forward and grabbed the object that had caught his attention, ignoring the way Itsuki jerked and blinked wide amber eyes at him in shock. He ran a gentle thumb over the object, staring at it. It was a single dangling earring made of pure onyx. It was cut into the shape of a crown, the detail put into it amazing. "Where did you get this?" He asked.

Itsuki blinked then smiled. "It's a gift from a friend." His smile turned amused and indulgent. "An inside joke."

Kaname let go of the earring so he could focus fully on his friend. "What joke?" he asked. "And what friend?" He knew none of the people in their circle would give Itsuki something like this.

"You don't know him." Itsuki replied, waving the question. Kaname felt emotion rise in him that made his stomach clench and his throat tighten. Itsuki continued, oblivious. "And the joke…it's more of a nickname that came about. They like to call me the 'Black King'." He chuckled.

He nodded, "Is that why you started wearing all black?" he asked. Itsuki shook his head then smiled distantly. "I started wearing black for the same reason I got the nickname." The EGO hopped to his feet, stretching again. He turned and smiled at Kaname briefly before walking away. Kaname stood and followed his friend.

As they strolled Kaname noticed how Itsuki walked. He moved gracefully, every move melting smoothly into the next. There was no tension in him, every muscle relaxed. He walked with confidence and dignity. It allowed his power to seep from him and show just how powerful he was.

It also wasn't how Itsuki walked.

Kaname looked at his friend, really looked at him. And what he saw was a calm, dignified young man, not the Itsuki he knew; not the Itsuki he **thought** he knew. Itsuki, his best friend, had changed. And he hadn't noticed. He stopped, watching as Itsuki stopped as well and looked at him in concern. "Is something wrong, Kaname?"

"You've changed." He replied, "Right before my eyes and I didn't notice."

Itsuki's eyes softened and he smiled gently. "Ne, ne. Calm down. Sometimes the hardest changes to see are the ones right in front of us. You couldn't see because you were so close." He paused to think. "If it makes you feel better, even my sister hasn't noticed anything usual besides the black. She thinks it's just a faze." He said before laughing. It was a soft, merry sound, like a glass wind chime. It filled his heart with warmth. Kaname found himself smiling. "It's a good change." He assured. "You seem calmer, more at peace." He blushed. "It's nice."

Itsuki laughed again, his eyes warm. "Thank you." He said a sincere smile on his face. "Come on. Let's go." And with that, they kept walking.

Later when they parted ways, Naoya watched his friend walk away. "Have I really changed?" he asked.

A soft chuckle met his ears. "Of course you have." A smooth voice said. "You're much different from the confused little boy I first called my master." He looked over, only mildly surprised to see Lapuda standing next to him. The blonde smiled at him, his blonde hair glowing in the sunlight. His black shirt had a wide collar, revealing the smooth, pale skin and long arch of his neck and his deceptively fragile-looking collar bone. The long sleeves of his shirt hid his hands as they billowed around his wrists. His black jeans hugged his hips and were tucked into his black dress boots. The only hint of color was the white band around his upper arm, but even that was tainted by the image of a black crown.

Lapuda smiled at him teasingly. "I think he likes you." He joked.

Naoya blushed bright red, ducking his head in embarrassment. "Kn-knock it off!" he hissed. "He does not." Lapuda laughed, continuing to poke fun at his master. Eventually Naoya got so annoyed he snapped, "What? Did Howl finally have enough and kick you out?"

The blonde stopped immediately, his eyes darkening but his smile didn't fade in the slightest. After a long moment Lapuda whispered in a light, cheerful voice. "You're cruel, Naoya-sama."

Naoya faltered, wincing. There was a long tense silence as they stared at each other, Lapuda's smile never leaving his face. Naoya felt heavy guilt press down heavily on his shoulders. The relationship between Howl and Lapuda was a tricky one in which the rules and boundaries constantly shifted, ready to fall apart at any second. The two seemed stuck in the ever-changing roles of enemies and lovers. It was heart-breaking to watch.

Naoya sighed and rubbed at his temples tiredly. "I'm sorry, Lapuda. What can I do for you? I doubt you came all the way down here just to tease me." He paused and shot the man an irritated look. "Actually, scratch that. I wouldn't put it past you to come all the way down here just to tease me."

Lapuda laughed again, his eyes lighting up. "I have a very valid reason for coming, Naoya-sama." He assured. "I found a nice place for your hospital."

His hospital. The entire reason he'd entered the "Chess" tournament in the first place. There was a cash prize for the winners of the tournament. In fact, there were rewards for the teams who managed to make it into the semi-finals and finals. He wanted to use the money to create a hospital, a place to take care of all the people trapped in the Aquarian Age. No one else would have to bleed to death in the streets; no one else would have to die alone in the dark. The hospital was supposed to be a place where people from every fraction could heal and rest in peace, without worry of an attack. And he hoped that eventually, in that place, all the anger, all the hatred would fade away. Eventually, the fighting would stop.

"It's a little place." Itsuki continued. "Just outside of town. You'll love it."

Naoya sighed. "The area is empty, right? You know I want to build the hospital myself." He replied. Lapuda nodded. "Yes, yes, I know. Come on." He said, reaching forward to grab Naoya's hand. He turned and walked away, dragging his master with him.

The mind breaker stumbled after him, only tugging on his hand half-heartedly. "Oi, Lapuda." He called, "I'm not a yoyo." Lapuda just grinned at him. Naoya sighed.

After a few silent minutes where in Naoya let Lapuda drag him Lapuda tightened his grip. "Don't worry, Naoya-sama. I'll protect you." He whispered. He paused and looked at his master. "What you want is what I want." He tightened his grip again but there was something reassuring in the vice-like hold.

"I will grant your wish, Naoya-sama."


	3. Chapter 3

Summury: Naoya Itsuki is not what he appears. He is a powerful pyschic. He is also involved in the frightening tournament known only as 'Chess'. His only guardiens are three other boys Mana and her friends don't know about. In fact, they don't know anything at all. But when Kaname is pulled into the tournament secrets can no longer be contained. The lines of loyalty, friendship, and love start to blear. Naoya's deadly secret is revealed. He is a Mind Breaker. Will contain yaoi.

**Disclaimer: Juvenile Orion belongs to ****Sakurako Gokurakuin. The tournament and how it works belongs to Clamp. I own nothing in this story expect the idea of Grafters and the OCs. Please do not sue.**

**Black King**

Chapter 3

Long green grass blew softly in the wind. Clear blue water glistened in the sunlight from the lake in the background. A long, dusty driveway crawled into the meadow from the road. Naoya stopped, staring at the simple beauty before him. Everything was very peaceful.

"Do you like it?" Lapuda asked, stepping up next to him. Naoya could only nod, his heart in his throat. Lapuda laughed softly. "The others like it too." He whispered.

He blinked and noticed his other two "pieces" were also present. Li was dozing by the lake, his soft brown hair blowing in the wind. His fancy black dress shirt and pants shifted with the wind, rattling around the boy's tan, lean form. Black dress shoes were set near his head so his bare feet could rest in the water. A scruffy black wrist band stood out on his wrist, the outline of a black crown stitched in grey.

Howl leaned against the tree near the brunette, watching them with cool grey eyes. He wore a simple black t-shirt and ripped black jeans. Black work boots covered his feet and lying next to them was the man's jacket. The image of a crown was clearly embroidered across the black leather.

Lapuda shifted marginally next to him, somehow placing Naoya between him and howl in that one movement. The avoidance attitude seemed strange because on a normal day Lapuda would have ran up and glomped the older man by now. Well, at least they weren't trying to rip each other's throats out yet.

Howl straightened and walked towards him; Li blinked open his eyes and rolled easily to his feet. Naoya smiled and watched him approach. He clapped his hands together. "So, what do you think?" he asked. "It's very nice, Naoya-san." Li said in his low, polite voice. Howl merely nodded. Naoya swung his head to look at Lapuda. "It's perfect Lapuda." The blonde grinned and said, "I'll talk to the real estate lady later."

Howl spoke up then, his voice dark and concerned. "You should be resting, Naoya-kun. You need all the rest you can get before the matches next week."

Naoya snorted. "I can't I'm Lapuda's personal yoyo today." He said in the amusedly indulgent tone one normally spoke with when talking about Lapuda; it was also the tone used when talking about a particularly dense five-year-old.

Lapuda laughed and spread his arms wide. "You're free to go, Naoya-sama."

Naoya shook his head with an amused smile. "Alright. Goodbye." He waved as he turned and walked away. Lapuda watched him leave before saying in a casual tone. "Go with him, Li-kun."

Li nodded and raced back to the lake to grab his shoes. Lapuda laughed as the boy ran past, trying to bow to them, pull on his shoes, and catch up to Naoya at the same time. "Be careful, Li-kun!" the blonde shouted just seconds before Li tripped and feel on his face.

"Yes sir." Li said with a sigh as he pushed himself up.

Howl glanced at Lapuda next to him. "So you've noticed?" he asked before the blonde could retreat. Lapuda tensed briefly at the sound of his voice before turning weary eyes towards his sometimes-lover. "Yeah." He answered in a carefully blank tone. "We're being watched."

**Next Day**

Kaname looked up as he left school and noticed Itsuki was standing there. He was dressed in black slacks and a simple black t-shirt. He was talking to an older taller man who towered over him and was also dressed in black.

As he came closer he noticed the little details. Things like how the man was listening attentively to Itsuki's every word or how his towering stance was more protective than intimidating. Things like how Itsuki was smiling brightly at the man, his eyes brimming with trust.

Things like how the man's jacket held the same symbol as the one on Itsuki's earring.

Naoya smiled as he raised his head to meet howl's eyes. The darklore was very tall. Even Lapuda, who was tall with long limbs that on anyone else would look awkward but on him had the opposite effect, only came up to his shoulders. "Lapuda looks happy." He said. "You apologized?"

Howl nodded, shrugging. "It's my fault he was upset." He explained. "Apologizing was the east I could do."

"That's good." Naoya said, his eyes soft and his smile approving. "Lapuda's hard to deal with on a normal day. When he's upset it's even worse." He laughed briefly. When the wind-chime sound died away his smile fell and his eyes hardened. "Are you sure? We're being followed?" he asked in a whisper.

Howl nodded, his expression falling. Naoya was about to say something else when he noticed Kaname coming towards them. "Hey Kaname!" he called.

Howl tensed, shifting to better protect him from the unknown threat. Naoya chuckled at the reaction. Kaname stopped in front of them and Naoya had to shake his head as he watched the two Darklores eyes each other. "Kaname, this is howl. Howl, meet Kaname."

There was a long, tense silence after that. Naoya felt a nervous laugh bubble up in his throat. "Um guys? Don't kill each other." He said. He glanced uneasily between the two. "Okay?" he asked nervously.

"How-chan!"

Naoya blinked at the strange shout and watched bemused as a black and god blur attached itself to howl's neck. He smiled fondly when Lapuda came into focus, leaning quite intimately against howl with his arms wrapped securely around the taller man's neck. Howl merely sighed, seemingly unsurprised. "Moron." He told the blonde. He heard Kaname choke on laughter next to him and followed his gaze. He nearly laughed as well when he saw Lapuda's feet dangling off the ground, the toe of his black sneakers just brushing the ground. Howl noticed as well and sighing, swung the blonde onto his back, securing his arms under the Grafter's knees to better support him.

Naoya laughed softly. "Hey Lapuda. Meet Kaname. Kaname, this is Lapuda." Kaname nodded, a bit more receptive of the eccentric blonde. Lapuda eyes him curiously then grinned. "Ah, he best friend. Thank you for taking care of Naoya-sama for us."

The Mind Breaker winced when he noticed Kaname zero in on the honorific Lapuda always attached to his name. The boy looked over at him with a raised eyebrow, causing Naoya to grin weakly.

"Oh, Naoya-sama!" Lapuda shouted suddenly, digging around in the black bag thrown over his shoulder. Howl grunted, "Stop squirming, idiot." He snapped. Lapuda ignored him, pulling out a single magnolia folder. He handed it to his master with a grin. "It's all yours. We can start working whenever you want." He said. Naoya smiled softly and took the folder almost reverently. "Thank you, Lapuda. We'll start soon." He informed, sliding it into his own bag.

As the blonde nodded howl sighed and adjusted his hold. "I have to go, Naoya-kun." He said. Once Naoya had nodded he looked over his shoulder at Lapuda. "You coming?" he asked. Lapuda gave him a 'Duh' look.

Naoya smiled, waving goodbye as they walked off. Beside him Kaname said in a dull tone. "Well, that was interesting." It forced another laugh out of Naoya's throat. "They're all right." He assured. "A little strange, but their all right." He grinned at the other boy. "Walk with me?"

They were halfway to Naoya's house when they were attacked. He noticed it seconds before it happened and, quite calmly, grabbed Kaname's arm and tugged them out of the way. Kaname's wings snapped open when he noticed the attack and he took to the sky. Naoya watched him go and sighed. "I love it when he abandons me." He muttered. He turned and looked around him. Nothing. "Kaname!" he called up, "You see something?"

The boy shook his head, gazing around. Naoya frowned and closed his eyes. Before his powers as a mind breaker had truly awoken, his powers as a psychic had grown exponentially and hadn't dimmed in the slightest. Around him the ground cracked beneath the weight of his powers and three large slabs of stone levitated up to surround him. "Itsuki!" Kaname shouted in alarm.

Naoya turned his head to smile gently at his friends. "Don't worry." He assured. His eyes softened to amber gold. "I'll be fine."

His smile dropped when one of the stone barriers next to him exploded. He turned his head and narrowed his eyes. The small rocks rose smoothly from the ground and shot off. As small as they were and as fast as they were going they would rip through skin and bone like they were tissue paper. The minute he heard a scream he took off, running as fast as he could. "Itsuki! Stop!" Kaname shouted, flying after him. He didn't listen.

When he found his attacker the man was on the ground, clutching at his shoulder and leg. The man looked at him in fury. Naoya felt a change in air pressure and jerked his head. A bench beside him followed the physical command flew in front of him to protect him from the psychic attack. As it splintered and fell he used his powers to push the man into the wall. He walked silently forward, tucking his hands into his pockets, watching the man closely. He didn't move.

"Itsuki! Look out!" Kaname called. Naoya looked over and noticed another man standing before him, power gathering around his hand as he pointed at him. Naoya's eyes widened in surprise. Kaname appeared in front of him and wrapped his arms around his waist, lifting him off the ground. Naoya gasped, clutching at the Darklore's shoulders. He winced slightly when he felt the edge of the attack brush against their feet, burying his face in the nook of Kaname's neck.

Naoya took in slow, careful breaths as he leaned fully into Kaname's embrace, trusting him to take care of him. He'd gotten used to being protected. "The man." He remembered, raising his head. Kaname quickly raised his hand to the back of his friend's head, pushing him back down. "Don't look." He ordered, his voice tense.

He understood. There was no way the man could have avoided that attack. Naoya rested his head back down, his hands tightening on Kaname's shoulders. "I just…" he whispered, causing Kaname to look at him. "I just wish the fighting would stop!"

Kaname pressed his lips together as he felt his friend start to shake. He tightened his hold, pulling the psychic closer to him. Burying his face in Itsuki's soft hair he whispered, "Me too, Itsuki. Me too."

**That Night**

Naoya slowly entered the park, mist swirling around his feet. A glittering night sky that he paid no attention to hovered over his head. He kept walking deeper into the park, his feet ghosting over the damp ground.

Lapuda appeared from the mist, the white substance sliding over the pale, smooth skin of his bare arms. The blonde smiled, a touch of seriousness in his eyes. "Welcome, Naoya-sama." He greeted.

The mind breaker nodded to him in greeting. He glided past him, walking towards where he knew the rest of his team to be. Lapuda followed him obediently. Howl and Li looked up as they arrived, surrounding a high back, black chair. Naoya smiled gently but didn't say anything. He calmly moved forward, sitting down in the chair. He fingered the intricate carvings on it. Only Lapuda would so pain-stakingly detail something so temporary. "It's a shame we'll have to get rid of it." He told Lapuda.

The blonde smiled, his eyes lighting up at the round about praise. "I can always make another. Next time with the proper materials." He said. Naoya nodded in approval.

"They come." Howl informed. Naoya immediately settled in the chair, closing his eyes. Li kneeled down next to his feet, gazing coldly into the distance. Howl and Lapuda hovered protectively by his shoulders. The sound of footsteps met his ears as their watcher approached. His "pieces" tensed but he remained relaxed. When the footsteps stopped he asked in a deadly calm voice. "Why are you following us, committee representative?"

He slid his eyes open to glare at the new guy, the red and gold specks in his eyes swirling dangerously. All the respect he'd previously spoken to the man with was gone, replaced by sharp condemnation. The man tried to smile disarmingly but none were convinced. "It's good to see you again, 'Mind Breaker Itsuki, Naoya'." He greeted. Naoya frowned sharply at the perfect repetition of his last words to the man.

"Straight to business I see." The representative said. "There had bee a change of rules, Black King." He informed. Lapuda spoke up, his voice cultured with a disappointed undertone. "A change of rules when matches are scheduled to restart next week? Cutting it a little close, aren't we?"

He shrugged. "I'm just the messenger." He said. Naoya stared at the man, frowning. "The new rules?" he inquired. "For the semi-finals you will need one more 'chess piece'." The representative explained. Before anyone could say anything he continued, "There is one requirement for the new 'piece' though." For the first time since the meeting had begun Naoya felt his calm mask slip just a bit as he tensed. "And what is this requirement, committee representative?" he asked. The man leaned forward and smirked.

"The new piece must be someone you have **not **mind breaked."


	4. Chapter 4

Summury: Naoya Itsuki is not what he appears. He is a powerful pyschic. He is also involved in the frightening tournament known only as 'Chess'. His only guardiens are three other boys Mana and her friends don't know about. In fact, they don't know anything at all. But when Kaname is pulled into the tournament secrets can no longer be contained. The lines of loyalty, friendship, and love start to blear. Naoya's deadly secret is revealed. He is a Mind Breaker. Will contain yaoi.

**Disclaimer: Juvenile Orion belongs to ****Sakurako Gokurakuin. The tournament and how it works belongs to Clamp. I own nothing in this story expect the idea of Grafters and the OCs. Please do not sue.**

**Black King**

Chapter 4

Kaname blinked when he heard the doorbell ring. He shot a quick glance out the window and frowned at the night sky. Who would be visiting this late? He stood quickly and padded to the door. Opening it, he was surprised to see Itsuki standing before him.

The boy was wearing a baggy black hoodie and jeans. His hands were stuffed into his pockets and there was a sickening twist to his lips that Kaname couldn't quite call a smile. His eyes were dark and filled with remorse.

"Hey, Kaname." Itsuki whispered in a tone he didn't want to say sounded defeated but had no other word for. Kaname nodded slowly. "Hey. You, uh, want to come in?" he asked, stepping to the side.

Itsuki shook his head, his expression pained. "Actually, I was hoping we could talk." He turned slightly and requested. "Walked with me?"

Kaname nodded after a minute. "Yeah, sure. Just let me grab my shoes." He replied. Itsuki smiled faintly, sadly.

As the y walked, Naoya thought back to the night before:

**The Night Before:**

_Naoya frowned as he watched the representative walk away. He looked at the other three boys with him. "What do you think?"_

_Li frowned in thought. "They're defiantly raising the stakes. The system of chess is based entirely on the connection between the mind breaker and the mind breaked. The collars we wear enhance our bond so our strength and speed are determined by the strength of our master's will. If our master is weak so are we._

_However this technology isn't meant to be used between two people who do not share this connection. The collar can build it but the master has to sustain it. This will drain the master, making it harder to control the mind breaked 'pieces''._

_There is also, of course, the matter of trust. The more the master trusts his team the stronger the connection and the less energy it will take to power it. We need someone we can trust."_

_Howl frowned, "But everyone we trust is here." He said. Lapuda stepped forward. "Not exactly." He turned and looked at Naoya. "There's your friend, Kaname-kun."_

Naoya hadn't been able to get that conversation out of his head. He knew Lapuda was right. Kaname was his only choice. But he didn't want to drag Kaname into this. Into this dangerous, bloody tournament where he could so easily die.

He didn't want to break his heart when this ended.

Kaname stretched and looked at his friend. "Is everything okay, Itsuki?" he asked.

The boy stopped walking suddenly and turned so he was facing away from him. He wrapped his arms around himself protectively. "I need your help." He whispered.

Kaname stepped forward, closer. So close he could feel the heat radiating from his friend's body. "What's wrong? Are you in some kind of trouble, Itsuki?"

Itsuki bit his lip and seemed to shrink into himself. "I don't know how to tell you." He whispered. Kaname wasn't sure why but he raised his arms and wrapped them around Itsuki's shoulders. He felt him shiver as his breath ghosted across the brunette's ear. "Start at the beginning." He suggested.

Taking a deep breath, Itsuki nodded and whispered out his greatest secret, "I'm a mind breaker."

Kaname froze as his mind slowly processed those words. "That's not funny." He hissed. Itsuki replied in a calm, monotone voice. "I'm not laughing."

The darklore remained still for a long moment, during which Itsuki got tenser and tenser, before he nodded. "Alright, you're a mind breaker. Now what?"

Itsuki's breath came out in a rush and he nearly collapsed against Kaname's chest in relief. But he held onto what was left of his composure by his fingertips. Slowly he started to explain everything, gaining speed as he talked. "Lapuda and howl and a boy our age named Li and I, we're taking part in a tournament known as 'Chess'. It's dangerous, even lethal. We're good at the game…but now…."

Kaname frowned. "You want out?" he asked. When Itsuki shook his head rapidly Kaname's frown deepened. He was missing something here. Itsuki continued. "I want to win." He stated firmly. "The semi-finals are about to start though and there's been a change of rules. I need a new team member. Someone I haven't mind-breaked."

And just like that, everything made sense. Itsuki wanted him to join the tournament, wanted him to help him. "Itsuki…" he breathed. Itsuki turned in the embrace and looked up at him. His eyes were wide and glowed in the dim light of the moon. Kaname watched as the shadows danced across his friend's flawless skin, partly fascinated.

"I can't expect you to do this for me." He whispered, raising a hand to brush against the side of one of the hands holding him so close. Kaname was shocked to feel him trembling. "But I can't do this without you. You're the only one I can trust to do this."

Itsuki took one big step back, breaking the embrace. "Please," he begged. "Think about it." And with that, Itsuki walked away, his shoulders hunched, his head bowed, and his body tense.

**The Next Day**

Kaname looked up when Itsuki sat down beside him in school. The boy wasn't looking at him and was being unusually quiet. "Itsuki." He greeted.

The mind breaker turned his head away, a silent message that he didn't want to talk. Kaname sighed but gave Itsuki his space. As the day went on he found himself glancing over at his friend several times. Itsuki was always tense, always turned away from him, and always with his head bowed. Despite the fact that Kaname tired to speak to him over and over, Itsuki never said a word back.

After school ended, Naoya slowly climbed the stairs to the roof. He knew that's where Kaname was. He hadn't meant to avoid him as ha had but he knew it was for the best. When-if, he corrected, beating down the part of him that was convinced Kaname wouldn't deny him this- Kaname joined the tournament, he would need to be able to distance himself from his friend. Not being able to would spell disaster for them both.

Despite that, he had been hyper aware of Kaname all day.

He pushed open the door to the roof and entered calmly. Meeting Kaname's eyes, he smiled hesitantly. A silent message passed between their locked eyes.

"_Forgive me?"_

"_Always."_

Naoya smiled more confidently and walked towards his friend. Sliding down next to him he sighed and leaned his head against the railing behind him in contentment. With Mana around he had forgotten how it felt to merely sit in comforting companionship with Kaname. He had forgotten what it felt like to talk to his friend for hours and leave happy, even though neither of them would remember what they talked about.

Now, with Mana having gone home and left them alone for a while and his secrets out in the open, all the walls around them, between them, separating them, feel away. The deep friendship they had had before Mana had come and his secrets had started to pile on had finally reappeared. And until then, Naoya hadn't even realized there was a change.

But this wasn't the time for casual conversation.

"Listen, Kaname about the tournament," he said, shifting uncomfortably. "Just forget it. I'll find some-" Naoya stopped suddenly when Kaname finally spoke. "When's your next match?"

Naoya blinked and whispered, "Huh?" Kaname turned and smirked at him.

"You're not getting rid of me that easily. I'm in."


	5. Chapter 5

Summury: Naoya Itsuki is not what he appears. He is a powerful pyschic. He is also involved in the frightening tournament known only as 'Chess'. His only guardiens are three other boys Mana and her friends don't know about. In fact, they don't know anything at all. But when Kaname is pulled into the tournament secrets can no longer be contained. The lines of loyalty, friendship, and love start to blear. Naoya's deadly secret is revealed. He is a Mind Breaker. Will contain yaoi.

**Disclaimer: Juvenile Orion belongs to ****Sakurako Gokurakuin. The tournament and how it works belongs to Clamp. I own nothing in this story expect the idea of Grafters and the OCs. Please do not sue.**

**Black King**

Chapter 5

Kaname spent the next week trying to learn everything he could about the hell he'd gotten himself into. The really strange blonde one, Lapuda, and the quiet one his age, Li, had been more than happy to help. The older one, Howl, had brushed aside his questions, preferring to correct his fighting stance, and nudged him towards Lapuda.

He also realized quite a few things about the team and how they worked. The first thing he learned was that you always, **always**, differed to Itsuki. You could advise him, try to sway him, even disagree with him but you **never** argued with him. This rule seemed to be enforced more by Howl and Lapuda than by Itsuki himself. But Itsuki was stubborn; once he made up his mind there was no stopping him. You could only follow him and hope for the best.

The second thing was that you dealt with Lapuda's eccentricities because despite the fact that the blonde acted like an idiot all too often he was the strongest fighter in the group and his mind was dangerously sharp.

The third thing was the 'taboo topics', the things you never said. You never mentioned the fact that what they were doing was going to be nearly impossible or that there was a large chance they would die. You never mentioned that the two brunettes' were perhaps pushing themselves too much, between school and family and the tournament. You never mentioned Howl and Lapuda's overly complicated relationship. In fact, you never mentioned a lot of things about Lapuda. Not the immense power he was sure the blonde had but refused to use or the secrets everyone knew he was keeping. And definitely not the brutal scars he had glimpsed just once, all along the blonde's back. They were ugly and horribly obvious and they looked like what ever had caused them had _hurt_! Even he knew torture scars when he saw them.

Kaname blinked when he was broken out of his reverie by a thick black band being shoved into his hands. He looked up, staring into howl's cool grey eyes. The man jerked a thumb over his shoulder. "Go." He ordered.

Kaname sighed but obeyed and hopped easily across the smooth raised stone steps in the water. The team was at the place Itsuki wanted to build his hospital. He and Li were sitting around a large piece of paper, carefully drawing and detailing the layout for the main building. Lapuda was sitting against one of the trees, a book open in his lap but his eyes were watching Howl and him with amusement.

Sighing, he stopped on one of the stone steps and carefully wrapped the thick band around his eyes tightly so he couldn't see anything. He settled his breathing and calmed his racing mind. It was part of the training Howl insisted on giving him. So he'd at least be able to do something, he said. Slowly he caught glimpses of the world around him using the strange sixth sense Howl had told him about, flickers and ideas but nothing concrete, no full image. Something moved suddenly towards him and he stepped aside, feeling it zoom past him. He continued moving, dodging smoothly around the objects being thrown at him, jumping between the stones. One of the projectiles aimed low, cutting across his leg lower leg. Losing his balance, he slipped and fell in the water.

He pulled himself up and onto the shore, the water pasting his hair to his forehead. He'd screwed up again. He knew it was possible, he'd seen both Lapuda and Howl do it flawlessly. Howl had done it with calm precision but Lapuda made it look like a dance.

Kaname looked up, unsurprised to see Howl towering over him, calmly throwing a small rock up and down in his hand. The older man stared at him for a moment before asking, "You right-handed, kid?"

He nodded, "Yeah. Guess I'm a little slow on my left side." He assumed standing and shaking the water off of him. Howl shook his head. "Actually, it's just the opposite. You're slow on your right side."

Kaname blinked and wondered how that worked as Lapuda stood and approached them. "Because you rely on you're right side so much," the blonde explained, catching the rock howl was tossing. "Your body compensates and you learn to sense things on your left. So, in situations like this, your right side falls behind." He paused briefly to think before he grinned. "You play basketball, right?" he asked, causing Kaname to nod. "I thought so. That's one of those games where you need to know exactly what's going on. It's why you picked up the basics so quickly."

Lapuda grinned brightly and threw the small stone at Kaname. As it left his fingers it shifted and grew and changed. By the time Kaname caught it, it was a bright orange basketball. He blinked in surprise, still trying to get used to Lapuda's unique ability. Beside the blonde howl rolled his eyes. "Show off." He muttered affectionately. He turned and looked at Kaname. "Let's hope you survive this."

**One Week Later**

Kaname pushed back his emotions as he climbed onto the 'chess board'. No one said anything as they walked towards the center. Half way there they split into two groups, Howl, Lapuda, and Li continuing forward while he escorted Itsuki to the master's chair. He gave his friend a fleeting smile as he helped him into it. As he turned to leave, Itsuki latched onto the hand that had supported him. Kaname tilted his head to stare at his friend with a questioning look. Itsuki looked back at him imploringly. "Be careful, okay?" he pleaded. Kaname smiled and nodded. "Don't worry, we'll win." He assured. He turned and joined the other. He never heard Itsuki whisper, "Even if we win, this won't end well."

Kaname breathed deeply and tried to ignore the chains wrapped around him. He focused solely on the team opposite him and became aware that he was the only one on either team without a weapon. He tried not to let it get to him.

"_**Ready**_**!"**

He tensed when the voice rang out. His eyes widened when large, thorny vines shot up from the edges of the field, so thick it looked like a giant wall. "Is that new?" he asked. Li gave a curt nod. "Well, well, well." Lapuda drawled, a wide grin on his face. "If someone hit that, I think it might just hurt."

"_**Go!**_**"**

The chains snapped from his collar and Kaname felt a connection form in his mind, drawing him towards Itsuki. Power and warmth flooded down the link and through his body, filling him completely. He had never felt anything like it. He charged towards his opponent, trusting his teammates to take care of themselves. He and the other man danced around each other, managing only glancing blows. Then the man pulled out a long metal pole and swiped at him.

Kaname brought his arm up to block it. The minute it collided with his arm electrical shockwaves raced through his arm and down his spine, stunning him. He felt the end of the rod get slammed into his ribs. Feeling himself being lifted off the ground, he curled inward and braced for impact. He still gave a startled cry when he hit the wall of vines, pain flaring through his veins. Worry and horror flooded down the link in his mind.

"Kaname!!"

Lapuda ran forward towards the boy but was stopped when something zoomed past him, cutting into his neck. He winced slightly, clutching the wound. He heard Howl approach him and turned slightly. His hands were losing their grip on the glaive. "You okay?" Howl asked, before cursing and grabbing his neck as well.

The blonde collapsed to one knee. "Hey." He whispered, "Is it just me or you getting a little numb?"

Howl nodded, watching as Li was batted across the field. "I'm definitely getting weaker." He agreed. Lapuda frowned, "It's partially the other team's fault. However," he looked over his shoulder at his master. The brunette was biting his lip and his amber eyes were pained.

"Naoya-sama's losing his decisive edge."


	6. Chapter 6

Summury: Naoya Itsuki is not what he appears. He is a powerful pyschic. He is also involved in the frightening tournament known only as 'Chess'. His only guardiens are three other boys Mana and her friends don't know about. In fact, they don't know anything at all. But when Kaname is pulled into the tournament secrets can no longer be contained. The lines of loyalty, friendship, and love start to blear. Naoya's deadly secret is revealed. He is a Mind Breaker. Will contain yaoi.

**Disclaimer: Juvenile Orion belongs to ****Sakurako Gokurakuin. The tournament and how it works belongs to Clamp. I own nothing in this story expect the idea of Grafters and the OCs. Please do not sue.**

**Black King**

Chapter 6

Naoya sat very still in his chair, biting his lip as he stared down at his team helplessly. They were hurt and it was his fault. He knew they could fight; they could handle this. He was slowing them down. He wasn't sure he could do this anymore. The link with Kaname buzzed in the back of his mind, fresh and new and fragile. It was taking more and more of his energy to support.

As his will was slowly eroded away, memories flooded in, voices shouting in his ears.

_"I am happy to call you my master, Itsuki Naoya-sama."_

_"That man is a moron! He's going to get us all killed!"_

_"I'm just a kid. Surely, I can't help."_

_"We almost died! We should quit while we're ahead!"_

_"I swear I won't fail you again."_

_"Itsuki, Naoya. Mind Breaker."_

_"I'll grant your wish, Naoya-sama."_

_"You're not getting rid of me that easily. I'm in."_

_"Don't worry. We'll win."_

Naoya jammed his eyes closed, trying to block out the memories. But he couldn't block out the image of his disastrous first fight. The image of Lapuda- paler than normal, breathing harsh, and blood matting his golden hair and dripping down to splash on the ground- was burned into his eyelids. He couldn't go through that again.

His hands tightened on the arms of his chair, the manacles strapping his wrists to the chair biting into his skin. Slowly, hesitantly, he started to push himself up. He wouldn't allow something like that to happen again. Not now, not to Kaname, to any of them.

"Stay there!"

Naoya jumped, his gaze swinging towards Kaname as the boy pushed himself up. Kaname at him, eyes dark and determined. "We're going to win. So just stay there!" he shouted.

Naoya blinked, his eyes wide before he nodded and sat down. Kaname believed they could do this, believed they could win. He had to…trust Kaname. Because Kaname trusted him to get them through this.

Lapuda watched his master in surprise. "Of course." He breathed in understanding. "That's it."

Howl looked at him in confusion, not seeing what he was. But before he could say anything, he had to tackle the blond out of the way of an attack. He winced slightly as they hit the ground, Lapuda trapped under Howl's larger and heavier body. When Howl went to pull away, Lapuda grabbed his elbow.

For a brief second fire raced through his veins, burning him from the inside out. Then it disappeared, taking with it the numbness that had started to spread rapidly through his body from the cut in his neck. He looked down at Lapuda, watching as the blonde pulled his hand away, his pale skin outlined in a brief blue glow. Howl didn't question the new side of Lapuda's seemingly endless power, merely nodded in thanks and stood, pulling Lapuda up as well.

"I say," Lapuda whispered to him, turning so they were back to back. "We stop letting Kaname-kun distract us by worrying about him, be extremely grateful that Naoya-sama's calmed down, and kick these guys' asses." Howl nodded in agreement, a dark, sadistic grin spreading across his lips.

Li pushed himself up, straightening his shirt as he glared at the girl that was his opponent. He could feel his master's determination returning, filling his body with power. "This isn't over." He told her, holding complete trust in Naoya. In the powerful, strong Mind Breaker who had had faith in him when they had first started. In the boy who had taught him to trust himself. "You will lose."

Kaname breathed deeply as he slowly circled his opponent. The shock from the electric rod was almost gone and he had only minor wounds from hitting the wall. It had been a lot of pain but it was mostly all bark and no bite. He was more worried about Itsuki. True, the boy was calmer now than before but his bond with him felt no where near as strong as it should and he could almost feel the power draining from Itsuki as he struggled to maintain it.

This had to end. Now.

He ran forward, aiming a low kick at the man. The man dodged and struck back, the rod crackling lightning. He knew what it was this time though so he didn't try to block it. He snapped open his wings and flew above him, quickly coming back down for a punch. He grinned when it connected. The man went flying back, tumbling across the ground.

Kaname landed, watching as the man stood up. His eyes widened when the man gathered energy around himself and suddenly Kaname was surrounded by several clones of the man. He frowned, shaking off his surprise and slowly closed his eyes. For a second all he saw was darkness. Then there was flicker at the edge of his vision that slowly solidified into the shape of a man. After that dark hazes gradually formed around him.

He dodged around them as they moved towards him, aiming for the bright glow of the real one. A foot away he snapped his eyes open and locked his gaze on his opponent. A surprised look crossed the man's face for a brief second. That second was all he needed to slip past the man's defenses and knock him down and away. That done, he quickly turned his gaze upwards onto Itsuki.

The brunette was staring stoically across at the white Master, refusing to look down at them. He was tense, showing he was very aware of what was going on below him, but he didn't let it distract him. Kaname was grateful for that.

Turning, the Darklore went to help one of his teammates. Before he could a voice rang out. _"Black Side Wins!"_

He blinked in surprise before realizing that in the quick minute it had taken him to check on Itsuki the others had finished their own battles. He walked towards them, the others meeting him halfway to form a group. Kaname turned and watched as Itsuki's chair slowly lowered back to the ground. For a minute Itsuki just sat there, breathing deeply. Slowly, the brunette pushed himself up and walked towards them.

Itsuki looked up at them, his eyes dull and his eyelids at half mast. But there was a smile on his face. "I'm glad you're all okay." He whispered, stepping closer. Kaname nodded. "We're fine." He assured.

The Mind Breaker smiled at him warmly, his eyes thankful. "I'm glad." He breathed before his steps faltered and he fell forward, his eyes sliding closed. Kaname's eyes widened but Lapuda was faster, stepping forward and letting Itsuki drop smoothly into his waiting arms. The blond had obviously expected this to happen. Kaname kneeled next to him as Lapuda lowered himself to the ground, resting Itsuki in his lap. "Is he alright?" he asked in concern.

Lapuda remained silent for a long moment, staring intently at his master before he nodded. "He's asleep." He explained. Kaname felt relief flood through him at those words and he sighed thankfully. "That's good." He whispered.

Howl stepped forward, picking Itsuki up, out of Lapuda's gentle hold. He held the brunette to his chest, shifting to make the boy more comfortable. Itsuki looked very small, resting against Howl's much larger frame. "Let's go." The man said, his voice gruff as he turned and walked off. The other three stood and followed him.

"You should probably go straight home, Kaname-kun." Lapuda told him as they walked calmly down the halls of the building the tournament was held in. "We'll take Naoya-sama home. You could use some rest. It's quite late."

Kaname checked on Itsuki as they walked. "I'm fine." He informed the blonde.

Lapuda sighed and shook his head good-naturedly. "Well, Naoya-sama." He told the sleeping figure. "I tried." All he got in response was an amused look from Howl. He stopped suddenly, looking over his shoulder in the direction of the 'chess board'. "Strange…" Lapuda muttered, blinking wide, bright blue eyes.

"Hey, Lapuda."

Lapuda looked back at the call to see that his team had stopped and was looking at him strangely. He grinned absent-mindedly at them. "Sorry." He said, running towards them. He smiled up at Howl. "Shall we keep going?" he asked. Howl stared at him for a long moment before sighing and starting forward. The quick look he got told Lapuda that Howl was going to be giving him the full degree when they got home. He accepted it and walked forward, giving one final, narrowed eyed look over his shoulder at the aura he could feel coming from the arena. The aura of Grafters.

**Later That Night**

Howl stared stoically in front of him, trying to ignore the sounds coming from the kitchen. Lapuda had been less than corporative when he had asked what had happened back in that hallway. Lapuda had dodged around every question with those non-answers of his that made it seem like you were getting what you wanted to know when you really weren't. The only reason he hadn't fallen for it was because Lapuda had been trying to pull that trick on him from the first moment they met. Howl had long since gotten used to it.

He didn't want the fact that Lapuda still didn't trust him to hurt. But it did. Which was probably why their relationship was so rocky in the first place. That small matter of trust had always been such a sore subject between them. It had been the cause of so many arguments.

He looked up when he heard soft footsteps approach him. Lapuda stood before him, his golden hair casting shadows across his face and his blue eyes dark with regret. "Drink?" The smaller man asked, holding out the beer bottle in his hand. It was a silent peace offering.

Howl reached forward, past the bottle to grab Lapuda's wrist. He tugged the blond forward, causing him to stumble and fall into his lap, his face pressed against his chest. Howl sighed as he reached around Lapuda and held the blond; he never could stay angry with him for long. Lapuda grinned slightly and buried deeper into the embrace, shifting so he could tuck his head under Howl's chin. They sat like that, Lapuda curled up in Howl's lap, before Howl asked, "What did you mean?"

Lapuda raised his head to look at Howl curiously. The Darklore stared back as he explained. "Back at the 'chess board', you suddenly understood something. Said 'that's it'. What were you talking about?"

The blond made a small 'ah' sound in the back of his throat, shifting so his back was pressed against Howl's chest. He caught the other man's hand and held it close, fiddling with his fingers. "During battle, we get our strength from Naoya-sama's determination. But I realized that Naoya-sama gets his determination from us. The more confident we are in both him and our chances of winning the more confident he is in us and himself. That's why he freaked out today. Everyone was so unsure about Kaname-kun fighting that Naoya-sama became unsettled. Thankfully, Kaname-kun trusted Naoya-sama enough to calm him down."

Lapuda gave a soft laugh to himself. "That's probably why he was so scared during our first battle. No one knew what to think." Howl shook his head at the blond, smiling softly to himself. After a moment, he leaned down and whispered in Lapuda's ear. "I know you don't want to tell me what happened in that hallway." He told him, feeling the blond freeze. "But at least promise me that when it becomes important, you'll mention it."

Bright blue eyes were raised to stare at him. "Of course I will." He promised. Smiling absently, Lapuda stepped calmly out of the embrace and walked towards the bedroom. He stopped in the doorway and looked back at Howl. "I do trust you Howl." He said, causing the Darklore to look over at him. "It's just that sometimes…I don't trust myself."

**Next Day**

Kaname looked up when he heard Haruna approach. Mana was talking next to him but all thought of what she was saying went out the window when he saw Itsuki slowly trailing behind his sister. He looked beat. His normally smooth brown hair had a few knots in it and there were dark shadows under his eyes. His black clothes were rumpled instead of their usual immaculate appearance. He was swaying on his feet slightly, rubbing tiredly at one eye.

The darklore sighed and walked towards them, ignoring the strange look Mana gave him. He stopped before Itsuki, watching as the brunette paused as well and raised wide, tired eyes towards his own. "Good morning Kaname." He greeted, smiling softly. Kaname nodded in greeting. "Itsuki. You look tired." He observed.

The brunette smiled softly. "I'm fine. Feeling much better." He assured. He moved towards Mana to say good morning, feeling Kaname shadow his every move. It felt nice to have his friend worry about him that much. He grinned to himself as he started to chat absently with Mana. She was no longer his master but she was still his friend, even if he thought she was slightly useless. She said she wanted to help but she never did anything besides talk. But still, he didn't really care. He already had a plan in place to stop the fighting.

He started towards the door to the classroom, feeling his thoughts slip away. He shook his head, jerking himself awake. But it was still too late to stop from slipping in his drowsiness and falling forward. He braced himself to hit the ground but before he could get very close a hand wrapped around his lower arm and jerked him back to his feet. He blinked and looked up to see Kaname staring back at him with narrowed dark eyes, his hand wrapped securely around his arm to support him.

"Thanks…" he breathed. Kaname nodded curtly and tugged him forward, opening the door for him and guiding him through. There was a determined set to his jaw and a decisive light in his eyes that told Itsuki anything he said about his health would be ignored and any attempts to get Kaname to let him go would be disregarded.

He watched with a slight smile as Kaname pulled him towards his chair and calmly set him down before walking over and sitting down in his own chair. "Thank you." He said again.

Kaname shrugged uncomfortably. "It's nothing. Don't worry about it." He replied, not looking at him. But Naoya was sure he saw a light blush on his friend's cheeks. He smiled softly and dropped his hand onto Kaname's. "No, really. Thank you. For everything. You're doing a lot for me. More than you now." He tilted his head and smiled charmingly. "Thank you Kaname."

Kaname gulped, feeling his blush deepen and his heart skip a beat. Itsuki had a sincere, beautiful smile on his face and his amber eyes shined, the gold flecks of his eyes catching the light and making them glow. He doubted Itsuki knew how truly stunning he looked in that moment. All he could do was smile back and say, "Don't worry, Itsuki. I'll take care of you. I swear, I'll help you get through this tournament."


	7. Chapter 7

Summary: Naoya Itsuki is not what he appears. He is a powerful psychic. He is also involved in the frightening tournament known only as 'Chess'. His only guardians are three other boys Mana and her friends don't know about. In fact, they don't know anything at all. But when Kaname is pulled into the tournament secrets can no longer be contained. The lines of loyalty, friendship, and love start to blear. Naoya's deadly secret is revealed. He is a Mind Breaker. Will contain yaoi.

**Disclaimer: Juvenile Orion belongs to Sakurako Gokurakuin. The tournament and how it works belong to Clamp. I own nothing in this story expect the idea of Grafters and the OCs. Please do not sue.**

**Black King**

Chapter 7

Naoya lay on the ground, letting the wind tussle his hair around. His team was nearby, finally putting up the first bases of his hospital. The sun beamed down on them, warm but not unpleasant. Three weeks, two battles, and lots of rest later and he was finally starting to adjust to supporting Kaname during fights. It didn't feel like he was going to crash at any minute; it wasn't a constant struggle to stay awake. He was no longer dropping randomly into sleep, sometimes right in the middle of a conversation. Of course, now that he had adjusted, their battle schedule would pick up.

But for now things were quiet, allowing him to relax and simply enjoy the calm before the storm.

Grass crunched underfoot as someone approached him. Slowly, feeling lethargic, he slid open his eyes and stared up at Kaname. The Darklore stared down at him with gentle eyes, a small smile tugging at his lips. He wore ripped jeans a plain white t-shirt. Sensible work clothes, definitely. Better than the all black outfits everyone else was wearing. Still, it caused a slight pain to lance at his heart. The outfit told him plainly what was otherwise so easy for him to forget; Kaname fought for him but that didn't make Kaname his. Kaname didn't belong to him the way the others did, the way Kaname belonged to Mana.

He wanted Kaname to wear the Black Crown.

Kaname sat down next to him, oblivious to his thoughts. "How are you feeling?"

"Much better." he replied. He rolled over onto his side so he was facing Kaname. "It's nice out here."

The Darklore nodded. "Very nice."

They stared at each other for a long moment before abruptly bursting out laughing. It was a long moment before they calmed. When they did, one of Kaname's hands slid into his hair, slowly combing through the red-brown strands. Warmth settled into his blood, making him hum in contentment. He relaxed fully, a small smile slowly crossing his lips. "I think," Kaname said, "We're past the point where weather counts as suitable small talk."

"No." he disagreed. "Just past the point where it's awkward."

They slipped into a silence that was far from uncomfortable. Kaname's fingers continued to play with his hair, settling his mind enough that his thoughts became fuzzy and slow to fully register. In a few more minutes, he would probably be asleep. Kaname continued to watch him with warm eyes. Naoya was pretty sure this was the point where Kaname was supposed to kiss him.

He opened his mouth to tell Kaname just that, no longer quite awake enough to realize doing so probably wasn't the best idea in the world. Before he could though, Li walked over. "Naoya-san, what did you want for the…" he trailed off, staring at them for a long moment with a raised eyebrow. "Should I… come back… later?" he asked carefully.

Naoya blinked, slowly coming back to himself. It took a second, but eventually common sense caught up with him thoughts. He sat up immediately, a blush burning the back of his neck. Dear Lord, he hadn't actually been going to say that, had he? He cleared his throat uncomfortably. "No, Li-kun, now is fine." He stood up, too aware of Kaname's continued observation, of the amusement in Li's eyes. "What was it you needed?"

"The wards on the perimeter. What were they again?" Li asked him, voice underlined with laughter. Damn brat. He glared at the young man, but motioned him over to the edge of the property to go over what he wanted.

Kaname watched Itsuki walk away, rubbing the pads of his fingers together. The smooth feel of Itsuki's hair continued to dance across his senses teasingly. After another minute, he stood up and walked back over to where Lapuda and Howl were working. Time to get back to work.

**Later that Night**

Lapuda shot up into a sitting position in bed, panting softly as the flickering shadows of his dreams continued to chase themselves around the back of his head. The blanket pooled into his lap, exposing his naked chest to the cool air of the room. He shivered slightly, a motion that had little to do with the temperature and all too much to do with his current unstable emotional state. He closed his eyes, trying to calm his mind and erase the lingering traces of his nightmare.

His dreams had been full of shadows, some dark, desperate truth buried underneath that he wasn't willing to face while awake. The memory of the Grafters' physic scent from the hallway was still tangled up in his head, making it hard for him to think. There was something there, buried beneath and hidden from him and every time he tried to figure out what, some part of him shied away in fear. It had been haunting him for weeks now, disrupting his sleep and making him unusually snappy, part of the reason Howl wasn't in the bed with him already helping him forget the dark. That something was darkly, dangerously familiar. A buried aura he knew…

No.

His shaking turned violent. Fear flooded ice through his veins. No, no, no. He was safe here. No one could find him here. Howl would keep him safe, wouldn't let anything happen to him. **He was safe**.

But _he_ was here.

Lapuda wrapped his arms around himself, fingers flickering over the brutal scars on his back. No, it couldn't be him. Anybody but him. A trembling, terrified whisper escaped him.

"Daniel."


End file.
